Patient Stories

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Patient Stories, Urology at UCLA

The UCLA Department of Urology provides treatment for urological conditions of all kinds and is committed to providing the highest quality of patient care. We take great pride in being able to share a few of our patients' stories with you.

Dwight's Story Update: Cancer-free For Five Years - Prostate Cancer

Healthy and Cancer-free Five Years After Receiving High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU). Dwight Baird's prostate cancer had returned after he initially received external beam radiation treatment 22 years ago. He wasn't a candidate for further radiation or surgery to remove the prostate so his options were limited.View Dwight's Story >

Adam's Story - Bladder Cancer

Bladder Cancer SurgeryLooking back Adam Schaffer now 50 years old and a proud bladder cancer survivor who was treated at UCLA, reflects on that fateful day five years ago when his then six-year old son kneed him in the groin on Thanksgiving Day.View Adam's Story >

Robotic Kidney SurgeryAlex made history as the first pediatric patient to undergo a robotic partial nephrectomy at UCLA “The first thing we thought was, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope this is not the C-word,’” says Angela Lomeli about her son, Alex, age 5. “That was the scary part.”View Alex's Story >

Barbara's Story - Cancer of the Ureters and Kidneys

Going the Extra Mile(s) for Effective Treatment Unfortunately, cancer runs in Barbara Pytlewski’s family. Years ago, she and her brother learned they have Lynch syndrome, a hereditary condition associated with a high risk of developing colon cancer, as well as an increased likelihood of urinary tract, uterine and liver cancers.View Barbara's Story >

Barry's Story - Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery

Minimally Invasive Robotic Prostate Surgery Barry Broughton is a successful marketing executive who has traveled the world and faced a lifetime of challenges. But few challenges would be as difficult as the diagnosis he received last year of prostate cancer.View Barry's Story >

Bill's Story - Prostate Cancer Surgery

Software Developed by UCLA Urologist Helps Men Avoid Decisions They Might Regret Like many men diagnosed with prostate cancer, Bill Pickett faced a tough question when he came to UCLA for treatment: how to fight it? Prostate cancer is one of the more curable cancers — it has a 96 percent survival rate 15 years after diagnosis, according to the American Cancer Society. View Bill's Story >

Carey's Story - Robotic Prostate Cancer Surgery

Finding the Best Doctor for Robotic Surgery to Eliminate Prostate Cancer While shooting on location in Australia, Carey Melcher sensed something was wrong. But the 55-year-old Los Angeles-based commercial producer is the first to admit that he responded the way many men in his situation do: by ignoring the problem and hoping it would go away. View Carey's Story >

Daniela's Story - Urinary Incontinence

Bladder Reconstruction Helps Daniela Schirmer Regain Independence Daniela Schirmer was home from college and having lunch in a restaurant with a friend when she slipped in the restroom and struck her head on the wall. The force of the impact broke the 22-year-old student’s neck. As a result of the accident, Daniela was left a quadriplegic, unable to use her legs and with limited use of her arms and hands.View Daniela's Story >

David's Story - Prostate Cancer

Active Surveillance and Life Beyond Prostate Cancer: David Orthner’s Story on Living with the Enemy David Orthner learned he might have cancer by a fluke. When sending his blood sample to the lab after a routine physical, Orthner’s doctor checked the box for a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) measurement, something not typically done until a patient turns 50. View David's Story >

Dexter and Charlie's Story - End-stage Renal Disease & Hydronephrosis

Teri Parcon was looking forward to the birth of her son, Dexter, when a routine prenatal ultrasound revealed some bad news: Her baby had end-stage renal disease, a condition resulting in severely limited kidney function and requiring either dialysis or transplantation to ensure survival. Dexter was transferred to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center under the care of Dr. Jennifer Singer, a UCLA pediatric urologist with expertise in treating patients with end-stage renal disease. View Dexter and Charlie's Story >

Ed's Story - Robotic-assisted Prostatectomy at UCLA

Early Diagnosis makes all the difference for Prostate Cancer Survivor, Ed Evans It was a routine, annual checkup for Ed Evans. His blood pressure and cholesterol levels were normal. Ed exercised regularly and watched his diet, so physically he was in great shape. Everything looked fine, until his blood work came back. The doctor explained that Ed’s PSA levels were dangerously high. That Spring afternoon in 2012, Ed learned that he had prostate cancer.View Ed's Story >

Eddie's Story - Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer

A Close Call: Under Surveillance for Prostate Cancer - Dr. Leonard Marks Patient Story Eddie Carrillo experienced no symptoms that might have alerted him to his elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. But at a routine physical, Carrillo learned that his PSA was an alarming 4.5; normal is 1.0. Carrillo’s doctor told him it was likely he had prostate cancer, and that his prostate would have to be removed to prevent the cancer from spreading. View Eddie's Story >

John's Story - Bladder Cancer

Neo-bladder Surgery Just days before his 59th birthday, John Hottinger found specs of blood in his urine. Since he worked for an insurance agency, he asked a friend at work to book him in with an internist. After the tests, he received the phone call from the doctor who told him to come in and bring his wife. View John's Story >

Ken's Story - Surveillance Rather Than Prostate Surgery

Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer While PSA testing to screen for prostate cancer has led to more detection, the concept of “active surveillance” is gaining traction as a means to reduce overtreatment of the disease. View Ken's Story >

Lance's Story - Kidney Cancer

Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy KCLU News -- For more than a decade, KCLU’s Lance Orozco has been bringing us stories about the news, and the events in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties. You might have noticed he hasn’t been on the air for the last few weeks. Today, he returns with a very personal story about a fight he’s been facing for the last few months…his struggle with kidney cancer. View Lance's Story >

Mark's Story - Bladder Cancer

Neo-bladder Surgery Mark Felling is an aerospace engineer and an avid backpacker. He is healthy, never smoked, works out regularly, but within a week that all changed in July 2008.View Mark's Story >

Michelle's Story - Overactive Bladder Syndrome (OAB)

Neuromodulation Therapy at UCLA What It’s Like to Have to Pee 40 Times a Day. From the time the alarm went off to walking out the door in the morning, I would be in and out of the bathroom five to ten times. I have overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) paired with a smaller than normal bladder capacity, which is thought to be due to a congenital birth defect. For me, this means that I have to urinate, a lot, sometimes more than 30 to 40 times a day. View Michelle's Story >

Sally's Story - Bladder Cancer

Bladder Reconstruction: Radical Cystectomy Two summers ago just before a trip back to her native country South Africa, Sally Dansey, 57, noticed blood in her urine and she suffered from painful urination.View Sally's Story >

Our Urology Mission is You

Meet Our Doctors > The Department of Urology at UCLA is one of the most progressive and comprehensive urology programs in the country. Our faculty members work side by side with research scientists for new cures and treatments for prostate cancer.

Make An Appointment > Our goal is to provide you with fast, easy access to the physicians and services at UCLA. For assistance in determining which UCLA urologist(s) may have expertise to help you, please call the Urology Appointment phone number:(310) 794-7700